Letter-sheet envelope



(No Model.)

J. PUSEY LETTER SHEET ENVELOPE.

No. 547,238; Patented Oct. 15, 1895.

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ANDREW lmAM PHGTU-LI'NOVWASMNEYONDL.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHUA PUSEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LETTER-SHEET ENVELOPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 547,938, dated October 15, 1895.

Application filed October 5, 1886. Renewed February 26, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSHUA PUSEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Sheet Envelopes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 represents the inside or face to be written upon; Fig. 2, the opposite side or back. Fig. 3 shows the manner in which the sheets may be cut out of a strip of paper without waste. Fig. 4 shows the first or transverse fold given to the sheet; Fig. 5, the next or side folds; Fig. 6, the sheet entirely folded and sealed.

The invention consists of a substantially rectangular sheet of paper having an angular flap extending along a portion of the top of less width than the sheet, and whose length is substantially equal to one-half of the length of the sheet, the free margin of the flap being provided with a suitable adhesive, whereby when the sheet shall be folded transversely in the middle and the side extensions thereof beyond the base of the flap be then folded over and the flap folded over upon the several folds the gummed edge of the free end of the flap will extend over a partof the lower edge of said first fold and over the lower corners of the side folds, there being an interspace between the opposite inner edges of the side folds, the flap thereby being adapted to secure the several folds simultaneously, and certain advantages are attained, as hereinafter described. The invention consists, also, in certain novel features hereinafter described and particularly pointed out.

Referring to the annexed drawings, S is a rectangular sheet of paper having a flap f upon its upper edge, preferably of the truncated triangular shape shown. The length of the flap is practically equal to one-half the" length of the body of the sheet. The combined width of those parts of the sheet extending beyond parallel longitudinal lines through the corners, respectively,'.of the base of the flap is less than the width of the remaining part of the sheet, so thatwhen said side extensions are folded over, as hereinafter Serial No. 422,855. (No model.)

described, there shall be some interspace be tween their opposite inturned ends. The width of the free end of the flap is such as to be substantially equal to or greater than the width of the said interspace. The free edge of the flap is provided with a suitable adhesive gum b, similarly to ordinary envelopes, and the side margins b are also gummed, although the gumming of the latter may sometimes be dispensed with, if desired.

The relative dimensions of the sheet and flap which I have found desirable, as avoiding waste in cutting out, are those shown in the drawings, and are as follows: The extreme length, including flap, is represented by 9; the length of the sheet proper, from a to c, by 6; its width by 9; the width of each of the side extensions, from c to d, by 1%, and the width of the flap at the free end, from e to g, by 3.

The manner of cutting out the sheets of these relative dimensions by means of a suitable knife or cutter is illustrated by the diagram, Fig; 3, which represents a strip of paper as with the sheets cut out therefrom, and it will be seen by reference thereto that there is no waste of paper in cutting out, (excepting a little at the end of the strip,) as the inclined lines of the flaps of one row of sheets coincide with those of the next row and the top edge of the flaps coincide with the lines of two contiguous sheets-that is, the part of the latter which extends laterally beyond the flaps.

The letter-sheet is folded into the envelope form as follows: first, transversely in the middle, as seen in Fig. 4; then the two side extensions 7c are folded over, as seen in Fig. 5, and, finally, the flap is folded over on its base line, as in Fig. 6.

Now it will be obvious that if the gummed margins of the flap be wetted and the flap then sealed, the lower margin or free end of the latter will be secured to the first fold and the side marginsto the lower corners of the side folds, respectively; also that if only the lower margin be wetted, as would frequently be apt to occur in practice, or the side margins not provided with gum, the flap will be secured to and secure the folds in like manner. When only this free end margin is gummed, it is better that this end of the flap should be of increased width, so as to extend farther over the side folds-that is to say, the incline of the sides of the flap should be less.

The envelope may be opened along the base edge of the flap and the latter then torn off. It is generally preferable, however, that the entire sheet and flap should remain integral after having been opened, and this may be attained by inserting the finger, a pencil, or the like beneath the upper part of the flap and running it forcibly along the adhering edge. In order to insure an opening beneath the side of the flap for the insertion of the finger or the like when the envelope is sealed, I do not usuallyapply the adhesive gum along the entire margin of the flap,but leave asufficient ungummed space on the sides adjacent to the base of the flap, as seen in the drawings. I find by numerous experiments that by making the sheets of suitable strong paper the separation of the flap from the folds is readily affected without any danger of seriously mutilating either the flap or the sheet.

My letter-sheet gives a very considerable writing-space for its size; in fact, the maximum of writing-surface with the minimum of waste of material, all the writing being also practically hidden from view when the sheet is sealed up. The inside of the flap, the inside of the body of the sheet, and the outside of the first fold, excepting the small space coming beneath the gummed free end of the flap when the envelope is sealed, may be written upon and all the writing may be readily copied in an ordinary copying-press.

Of course if it is intended that the writing on the flap shall be copied the gum on the side edges must be dispensed with. In copying the gummed margin is allowed to project beyond the copying-press.

Other advantages resulting from the construction of my letter-sheet are that the free gummed end of the flap, extending along near to and parallel with the lower edge of the envelope, allows the ready opening without liability of tearing of the flap by the finger of one hand while the envelope is held by the other hand, and not only are the side flaps secured, but their lower corners are at the same time concealed, and when folded and sealed the device presents a strong, neat, and symmetrical appearance.

I propose providing the devicein two forms: One that of the unfolded sheets and the other folded, to be supplied in packs like ordinary envelopes, for which they may be used, as also for newspaper wrappers. In this latter or folded form they will supply a great convenience for travelers. To aid in the proper folding of the sheet, the paper may be duplex-that is, of one shade or color, as blue, on one side, and another, as white, on the opposite side. I sometimes print the ordinals 1st and 2nd on or adjacent to the lines of folding for the purpose of indicating the order or succession of the different folds, as shown.

In order to facilitate ready opening of the sealed letter-sheet, I sometimes provide two lines of perforations m in the flap in such position that when the sheet is scaled up the said lines of perforations practically coincide with the line of the inner edges of the side folds, respectively, as shown. Thus the opening is facilitated, the finger or the like being inserted underneath the side folds-that is, in the crack or opening between the inside surface of the latter and the outside of the first fold beneath, whereupon the leverage, so to say, of the side folds causes the flap to give way on the line of perforations. The flap may also have a series of transverse perforations y, with which the lines x connect. It will thus be seen that when the flap is torn along the lines 00 and also cut or torn on the line y the sheet may then be opened out fully and no part of the same need be destroyed, as the separated parts of the flap remain attached to the sheet. When, however, it is not desirable to retain the flap with the sheet, the former may be torn off entirely after having been opened on the line y.

I do not broadly claim as newa letter-sl1eet envelope consisting of a rectangular or other like sheet of paper having a flap on one edge of less width at its base than the width of the sheet, the same being old and well known.

What I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A letter-sheet consisting of a sheet of paper having on a part of one edge a flap of less width than the width of the sheet and gummed along its free margin, and substantially one-half the length of the sheet, said flap being of greater width at the base than the combined width of the side extensions of the sheet beyond the flap, whereby when said sheet is folded transversely in the middle and the side extensions folded over on the first fold, the gummed end of the flap may be directly secured to said first fold and to the lower corners of the side folds at the same time.

2. As a new article of manufacture an open envelope formed of a sheet of paper having on a part of one edge a flap of less Width than the width of the sheet and gummed along its free margin and substantially one-half the length of the sheet, said flap being of greater width at the base than the combined width of the side extensions of the sheet beyond the flap, the said sheet being folded transversely in the middle and the side extensions folded over on the first fold, and the flap folded over upon the said several folds, whereby, when the envelope is sealed,the flap will be directly secured to and along the edge of the said first fold and the lower corners of the side folds at the same time, substantially as described.

3. A letter-sheet envelope consisting of a sheet of paper having on one edge a truncated triangular flap of less width than the width of the sheet and gummed along its free margin and substantially one-half the length of the sheet, said flap being of greater width at the base than the combined width of the side extensions of the sheet beyond the flap, whereby, when the sheet is folded transversely in the middle and the side extensions folded over on the first fold, and the flap folded over on said prior folds, the free gummed end of the flap will extend along the edge of' said first fold and over upon the side folds, and thus secure said folds simultaneously at the margin of the folded sheet.

4:. A letter sheet consisting of a sheet of paper having on a part of one edge a flap of less width than the width of the sheet and gummed along its free margin, excepting a space adjacent to the base of the flap; said flap being substantially one half the length of the sheet, and of greater width at the base than the combined width of the side extensions of the sheet beyond the flap, whereby when said sheet is folded transversely in the middle and the side extensions folded over upon the first fold the gummed end of the flap may be directly and simultaneously secured to said first fold and to the lower corner of the side folds; and whereby the flap may be released and the sheet opened by running the finger or the like beneath the said ungummed portion of the flap, substantially as specified.

Intestimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 1st day of October,

JOSHUA PUSEY. Witnesses:

FRANCIS S. BROWN, J NO. NOLAN. 

